title: Lifestyle behaviors and early diagnosis practices of cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to determine the lifestyle behaviors and the practices for early diagnosis of cancer of cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study. The sample consisted of 222 patients with a diagnosis of cancer (non-random sample method). Ethical permission was obtained of the Non-interventional Research Ethics Committee of our Institution. Values of p<0.05 were accepted as statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that 54.4% of the patients had never performed breast self-examination, 60.8% had never had a mammography, and 71.2% had never had a Pap smear. Sixty-six point two percent of patients had never had screening for colon cancer within the past ten years. GIS cancers were higher in smokers and ex-smokers (p=0.005), in drinkers and in ex-drinkers (p=0.000). The breast cancer rate was higher in obese people (p=0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study provide information on the healthy lifestyle behavior of cancer patients before their diagnosis, and their use of early diagnosis practices. The important aspect of this study is to extend cancer patients' period of life after the diagnosis and treatment process, to make them conscious of risky lifestyle and nutritional behavior so that they can maintain a high quality of life, and to start initiatives in this direction that would ensure changes in behavior.
authors.affiliation: Health Sciences Faculty, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey. medine1974@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Medine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanli
authors.forename: Mujde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ucgun
authors.forename: Nur Sahin
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokem
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis